With the advent of the Internet, different forms of digital communications have recently appeared. Examples of such digital communications include email and instant messaging (IM). Often, in instant messaging, one user communicates with another user in near real time. Unlike email messages, which reside on a server or a client until deleted, IM messages typically vanish when an IM chat session is terminated, unless that instant messaging chat session is recorded in an instant messaging chat transcript.
Currently, techniques exist in which instant messaging (IM) chat sessions are recorded in an instant messaging chat transcript. Often, these techniques provide mechanisms for either activating or deactivating the chat transcript. When the option to record the chat transcript is activated, every instant messaging chat session is recorded. Conversely, when the option to record the chat transcript is deactivated, then none of the instant messaging chat sessions are recorded.
Additionally, current instant messaging systems include a save function that activates when the desired recipient of an instant message is not logged onto an instant messaging server. If a sender sends an instant message to a recipient who is not currently logged onto the instant messaging server, the recipient will not receive the message. Upon determination that the recipient is not available, the instant messaging server can save the message for delivery when the recipient logs onto the instant messaging server at a later time.
While these techniques address various issues in instant messaging, often a user may be engaged in an instant messaging chat session or otherwise logged onto the instant messaging server. In such a scenario, the user's client device may receive an instant message that the user never views. Before the user has a chance to view the message (or even know that the message has arrived), the user's client device may reboot, restart, shutdown, or otherwise close the user's instant messaging software (or any permutation). In such a scenario, the sender and the instant messaging server will both believe that the message was delivered and incorrectly assume that the recipient has viewed the message.
Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.